A Tale of Two The 25th Hunger Games
by SallyLouise492
Summary: Veneno Cultrum is a 16 year old girl from District 2; her mother a deceased Rebel leader charged with inciting the rebellion during the Dark Days. Veneno is chosen to represent her District in the first Quarter Quell. She's the best in her District except for one boy, Occasus. She is faced with a deadly decision: Should she do what's right or following in her mothers footsteps?
1. Chapter 1 The Training Center

**A Tale of Two**

**C1 THE TRAINING CENTRE**

The knife embedded into the dummies throat producing a stain of fake blood that expanded down its chest. I stood back admiring my collection of blood stained figures. Everyone in training had stopped in awe of my triumph. I'm the best district 2 has to offer, well despite Occasus Ensis but he's 18 and twice my size. I'm only 16 yet I am the fastest, best knife thrower, climber and archer in the district. My only competition is Occasus he's 6"3 whereas I'm only 5"4 but what I lack in physical strength and size I make up for with my speed and accuracy to never miss a hit.

I turn back to my trainer, Robus Lignum, the district 7 victor from the 9th Hunger Games who moved to district 2 to work as a trainer, for the careers. He gives me a nod of approval I smirk in reply. I turn to face Syreni, my only friend and family but instead I meet Occasus' mahogany hazel eyes. I bite my lip which is transformed into an innocent smile when he winks at me. Focus Veneno! Focus! I tuck an n orphaned strand of my elegant straight blonde hair behind my ear, flicking my high ponytail down the back of my flattering training uniform. The taunt fabric hugs me lovingly. I find myself lost looking at Occasus, I need his protective arms to encase me. He prepares to throw a spear but catches me looking at him and the spear skewers a light fitting, disabling the lights in the training centre. We are plunged into darkness. Luckily Robus has access to the emergency lighting; a green fog of soft lighting fills the hall.

His friend, Pisces, I think punches him on the arm, his muscle refusing to give way to Pisces's fist. He points over at me then presents Occasus with a rude gesture to which Occasus punches him in the nose causing blood to flow from his flared nostrils. I see Occasus curse Pisces under his breath and move along to pick up another spear. The normal bright artificial lighting springs into life again, startling me.

I begin to walk over to have a go at spear throwing, I've never been too good, and maybe he could teach me! A warm feeling begins to pump through my veins. Adrenaline surges through my bones, rattling my tendons. I am inconveniently interrupted by my best friend, Syreni Hasta. Syreni and I have known each other for all our lives, although she is younger than me we tell each other everything...and I mean everything! I live with her because my mother was killed when I was only 2 as she was a rebel leader, and I don't even know who my father is. We could be sisters, twins, same skin, same height, same hair but my eyes are grey and hers are the colour of the deep ocean. Syreni's family were originally from district 4 but they moved to district 2 to aid my mother during the rebellion, her mother was a rebel leader too. Except she could live as an avox, her tongue has been mutilated by the Capitol. Although I feel the pain she felt as she lost her closet friend, my mother, I could never forgive her for letting the Capitol take her life. I will always despise her for letting my mother die, even though it was never her fault.

Syreni grabs me by my shoulders and shakes me so hard I drop the knife I was cradling. "Wake up from lover boy bitch!" she insists. I give her an incoherent look to which she gives me a supposedly harmless slap around the face. "We should go out...to the lake...y'anno...have fun on last day before reaping."

"Yeah, yeah in a minute." I shrug off her suggestion and continue over to spear throwing, clawing at my saw cheek.


	2. Chapter 2 The Day Before

**C2 The morning before **

The morning before the day of the reaping. Nothing is normal as today is the reading of the card. They do it for every quarter quell, which is apparently going to be very 25 years. I sit on the green soft leather couch, thumbing a crease in the taunt fabric. The angular TV ignites with a hum of electricity and I'm face to face with President Snow. His young complexion framed by the magnitude of the capitols obscenities. His father's portrait, the late President Oak, sits behind him just in camera shot. He died just a couple of weeks ago. Poison. You can tell that they're father and son. They both have the same snake like eyes.

A small girl dressed in white with tiny birds in pink and purple pouring out the corner of her right eye presents a small black box with intricate carvings over its surface. President Snow opens the box which I full of little graceful red envelopes. Someone has prepared for years of hunger games. He picks out the one with a gold 25 written on it. The whole of Panem stops breathing; you could hear a wing beat in district 1. His bony finger slides under the flap; he opens it with his perfectly rounded nails. He pulls out the paper slip from inside and reads.

"_On the 25__th__ anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that their children were dying because of their choice to initiate violence, every district must hold an election and vote on the tributes who would represent it."_

_Mum lets out a choking sound that only an avox could make. I can feel Syreni's soft yet deadly hands encase mine. But I just sit and stare into President Snows snaky eyes. Does he know I can see him? He must know it's compulsory to watch this. A crazed smirk plays across his face, he moisturises his lips with his tongue and I can't help but to notice how scared and raw his tongue is..._


	3. Chapter 3 The Morning of the Reaping

**C3 THE DAY OF THE VOTING AND REAPING**

Outside district 2 deep in the plush meadow. The fresh spring breeze brushes through my long blonde ponytail. The sound of the forest coming alive for spring rustles across the valley. My bow in one hand my leather quiver slung over my shoulder. So peaceful, so juvenile. Disguising what today must bring; the voting, the reaping. How sick and twisted are these capitol people, they need to realise what they do is wrong. Most careers don't think the way I do. We're bought up blood thirsty killers, but then again my mum was a rebel leader. That always had me singled out. I always knew I would have to go into the arena and now they will vote me in as my mother failed at the rebellion. But then I also have the best shot, I'm the best district 2 has to offer so I guess me going it would give us a better shot at a victor. Hopefully one day there will be another rebellion and this time it will prevail and we will defeat the ca-

SNAP!

I spin round arrow posed to fly. I hope it buries into my attackers heart. Occasus! I release my bow string but my confusion caused me to be off target, there's a first for everything. I never miss! He rolls out of the arrows path. "Watch it, you could hurt someone with that" he gestures to my empty bow whilst massaging the wrist he rolled on with his hand.

"Only if other people sneak up on me!" I spit back, my tone full of bitterness. But why? Occasus is my friend.

"Well some people shouldn't be outside the district; well that is, unless they're asking for trouble?" it's true how we shouldn't be out here. Even though it's a relief to escape the authority of district 2 sometimes. "What are you doing out here anyway?" he asks. He sits down in the thigh length grass his head still visible above the tops of the grass. He pats the ground beside him, asking if I would take that as my seat. Warily I tip toes over as if I was approaching an injured animal or a tracker jacker nest.

I lower myself down using my left hand my right hand preciously clasping my bow. I place the bow to my right side along with the quiver and sit forwards crossing my legs. "Needed the space...you? " I reply calmly almost whispering.

"Looking for you." He desirably gazes into my face looking for some recognition; he must find something as he turns to the great hill we call windmill and smiles.

We sit in silence, engulfed by the faint whisper of breeze and the occasional cry of a mocking jay. I take to running threads of grass between my fingers decapitating them of their heads. After what must be half an hour I start...

"We're going in aren't we?" I question.

"If they choose who they think has the best chance, and I bet it's rigged so you're in. For your mother" he must notice how drained my face becomes as the realization kicks in. Unexpectedly he pulls me in towards his chest, his muscular arms entwine around my torso pulling me in tighter. I turn to face him my quizzical expression juxtaposes his playful smile. He runs his fingers through my blonde ponytail and tucks my orphaned stands of hair behind my ear. We sit in each other's embrace allowing our rapid breathing to echo through the vast meadow.

SNAP!

I startle. Springing to my feet arrow posed to fly. I attempt to locate my victim. No one. Although I'm sure someone is watching us. I can feel it. Occasus bursts out laughing. "What!" I snap.

"You sho- you should've seen yourself..." he manages to cough out between laughs. I brush off my back and thighs and adjust my quiver so the supple leather fits more comfortably onto my shoulder blade. I turn and jog way.

"Where you goin!" Occasus calls after me. I stop and turn to face him.

"I have a reaping to attend!" I holler back, but immediately regret that as I still feel like I am being watched. I run across the field disappearing into the hedge row and dipping under the electric fence and back into district 2.

SNAP! I spin round quick enough to see a black figure disappear into the hedgerow. I knew there was someone there.


	4. Chapter 4 The Reaping

**C4 the reaping and voting**

Walking into the square I can see everyone's eyes trained on me. They know I'm going in. They'll vote me in. I stand in a line of other 16 year olds waiting to cast our vote. 13 people before my turn they will all most likely vote for me. I should be upset that my district is happy to watch me dies. But all I can feel is that this gives me chance to insight another rebellion to be like my mother and to win this horrible battle we will continually fight with the Capitol. Only 3 people to go. I must vote myself. I have the best chance in there. We all know it. My turn to vote. The peacekeeper makes a small cut in my forefinger then scans the blood to make sure I am who I say I am. One year a 16 year old was pretending to be her little sister so that she had less chance of being picked. They shot her there and then, 6 times...in the face. That was the year Cader Thresh won, a brutal boy 18 from district 9, he was sent a scythe as a gift from sponsors and since he has been cutting crops his whole life this was his ideal weapon. It was over by day 3. I am guided into a huge green marquee with a black 16: F painted on the side. I think it stands for 16 years old: female. I am allocated a black box to vote in. You can only vote for the same sex; I can only vote for the female tribute and I only get one vote so I must make it count. Inside there is a touch screen, I simply type in the name of the person I want to vote for and click "vote" under a photo of them. On the home screen there are the top 10 possible tributes of course I am number one for the female list. Vote for yourself. Vote for yourself. My brain isn't cooperating. I don't want to go in. I need to go in. I'm already outside the justice building being roped into a pen with the other female 16 year olds. Of course I voted Veneno Cultrum. Me.

I spot Occasus through the jungle of children, who all know this is my year, who all voted for me. He smiles and mouths.

"You're beautiful" I stare at him quizzically but my gaze is broken when Pisces springs into view armed with more sexual gestures. This time we just laugh it off. It's true though, how I look beautiful. I'm in a dress from Syreni. It's a white lace ¾ sleeved dress that stops at my thighs but there is loose netting that falls from my waist to my knee caps. My hair has been set loose from its pony tail and has been plaited and wrapped around my head in an elegant fashion. I wear simple brown heels that complement the elegant dress.

The queer Capitol lady toddles onto the stage her metallic silver heels reflect the magnificent sunlight. She is wearing a deep pink waistcoat that has little purple patterns on and a pink skirt that brings her waist in to almost 10 inches! Her face is laced with capitol obscenities. The raging purple lips, the stars falling under her eyes in multiple shades of purple and lilac. It appears her retina have been altered so they are in the shape of stars and her hair is tinged a deep purple. It's in a messy up do and she has 3 fascinators embedded into the scruff. One is covered in pink feathers that appear from a collection of vivid pink jewels, another is bright green loops of netting and the third is a little black hat that sits on her fringe that has slithers of pink netting dangling down the front an into her face.

"Welcome all, too the District 2 Reaping of the 25th Hunger Games, but first I have a video sent all the way from the Capitol." Her voice is so quirky and bizarre it's hard not to feel sorry for them. They show the same video they show every year. How the dark days occurred, multiple shots of my mother so strong, brave, feminine she refused to take off her necklace it had 2 strings of diamonds hanging off of it and on each diamond on the back the words "forever" had been engraved. I never knew what happened to it when she died. The video shows various other attempts at failed rebellion and then how we now have the Hunger Games in order to prevent another. Can we just get this over with, we all know it me. "Now for the reaping, and may the odds be eever in your favour." The capitol lady, Odessa Violette, waddles over to the girls bowl. She tosses her obviously fake nails around the bowl even though we all know they all have my name on. She finally picks out one unravelling it with her purple nail.

"Veneno Cultrum."

She beckons. Yeah like we didn't know that was coming. I walk up onto the stage and meet Occasus' eyes. Full of pain and fear! But why, he doesn't have to go into an arena that has 23 other children trying to kill him! Wait no! I'm the best female...he's the best m-

"Occasus Ensis" I've only just realized what's happening as Odessa calls his name. He voice is only a faint twinge, a hum of a moth's wing; I stare longingly at Occasus knowing we could never share anything. He looks stunning the plain white shirt, pale blue trousers broken off by his brown brogues. We could be getting married, me in white, and him in the typical marital clothes of District2. I now know that I am never coming home.


	5. Chapter 5 Goodbyes

**C5 Goodbyes**

We are unceremoniously herded into the justice building and allocated a room in which we have one hour to say our final goodbyes. 5 minutes pass with no visitors arriving. I get up from the purple velvet couch and run my fingers along the grain of the mahogany desk. Syreni bolts through the door; slamming the solid oak frame into a decorative end table sending the elegantly placed vase flying across the room, and arrow in flight. She clasps my face in her claw like hands "fight...for me, all our training, you can do it, they'll have nothing on you...it has been your destiny since your mother led the rebellion." She gently punches my arm, releasing my now numb face. "I know you can!" 3 peacekeepers authoritatively march in too say that our time is up and demand she leave. Syreni and I embrace, my best friend, my sister. Someone I will lose. We break from the hug both with tears threatening in our eyes. "From mum" she whispers passing an uneven object into the sweating palm of my hand. I give her a quizzical look tilting my head to the side. She elegantly bows her head.

"Forever" we both chuckle. The peacekeepers clasp her biceps but she yanks it free.

"I can handle myself thank you very much." She says sternly. "Don't forget me Veneno" her voice is hoarse as the tears begin to trickle down rounded cheeks. She kisses me lightly on the cheek and walks towards the door.

"Forever Syri." I call as she is about to leave she smiles and I wave goodbye. This will be the last time I see her.

The room falls silent I sit opening my hand, like a daisy preaching to the morning sun, to reveal the necklace...my mother's necklace. This can't be my mother's? How would Syreni have it? It has two sets of diamonds hanging from the main golden chain, just like hers. On each gold plate that secures a diamond the words "forever "have been inscribed. This will show how much I am like my mother. This will be my token.

Another 40 minutes pass. I doubt I will have any more visitors. I allow a tear to fall down my face and curve around my lip. It tastes of salt, like the seas in district 4. Like Syreni's home, I have always wanted to go there but travel between the districts is strictly forbidden. I must comeback though. I must kill Occasus. For Syreni. I stroll over to the marble fireplace that sits to the left of the sofa and expertly examine the carvings along the mantel piece, roman, I think. People, warriors with great shields of gold and strange feathers on their heads dance across the mantel piece.

Shouts and curses are being shouted from outside my door. "I can't kill her...I won't do it!" calls Occasus.

"Master Ensis please return to your room immediately!" that's definitely a peacekeeper. Wait. What? Occasus won't kill me...but someone has too?

"Don't worry mate I'll go speak to her!" calls another familiar voice but I can place it. Abandoning the mantel piece I cautiously approach the door encasing the silver knob in my heaving palm. I've just turned it fully when Pisces bursts through the door way. I jump backwards almost falling over. Luckily I manage to steady myself on the mahogany desk. He grabs my shoulders and looks deep into my eyes.

"He won't kill you! He won't let you die in there! You know that right?" he asks desperation seeping into his every word. Dumb; numb. Unable to speak, I swallow hard trying to choke down the tears that Syreni made me produce. I'm such a bitch. Here I am willing to kill him and he won't do anything but protect me. I remove his hands from my shoulders observing the red indentations he made on my eloquently dressed shoulders. I brush down the skirt of my dress.

"Okay...but one of us must die?" my expression motionless; an unopened book.

"But he...he loves you and he'd kill me for telling you ...so don't say I told you so...okay?" Shocked. What did he just say, love? What a crazy thing to say as one of us will be dead in a couple of weeks. He smiles and walks to the door. He turns his hand encircling the knob." Good luck in there Veneno." He says it so sweetly you would never have thought that Pisces could have said it.

"Thank you" I say, calmly as he leaves the room. His words hang in the air a stagnant pond awaiting refurbishment.


	6. Chapter 6 the train station

**C6 the Train Station**

I'm ushered out of the study by an overly excited Odessa Violette. She holds a silver clipboard protectively to her chest and a golden pen embedded with rubies that she is rapidly twirling around her fingers. She leads me towards the station platform. The door slides open as the paparazzi line the stairwells and platform. All desperate to watch me die. A career's death is always exciting in the capitol. To see the districts strongest defeated, to prove we could never attempt another rebellion. My name is called from behind me."Veneno!" the voices owner masked by the paparazzo's camera flashes, entwined like ivy around the station. Occasus is standing behind me. Waving; calling me over. Without hesitation I run into his arms holding our bodies close. Refusing to release one another. Stupid, petit Capitol citizens must me eating this up. Two friends sent to their death. Are we just friends or could there be more? His arms encase me; their futile embrace could crush me in a heartbeat, the waves of his abs push against my chest.

"Move out the way moron!" wails Eustacia Spectral, my mentor. Her loose blonde curls balance elegantly across her broad shoulders and down to her waist. Black spandex trousers, leopard print bralet, grey denim jacket, shimmering studded 6 inch heels; the girl every female capitol citizen wants to be; the girl everyone in the capitol needs. She won her hunger games when she was just 13 making her the youngest ever victor!

Eustacia won when it was just her, the district 1 male tribute, the district 4 female tribute, the district 7 male tribute and the district 8 male tribute so she broke the careers alliance. A feast was called at the cornucopia; except this was no ordinary feast as it the Gamemakers had used weapons instead of food. Amongst the new weapons they had a collection of serrated star throwing knives; her choice weapon. When the remaining tributes arrived at the cornucopia she was already there; waiting, inside its mouth. With her serrated star knives. They never stood a chance against her. The district 1 male tribute got a star knife in the forehead and died instantly however the others were not so lucky. The female from 4 received multiple knifes in her abdomen and when she slumped to her knees Eustacia slit the back of her neck; permitting the death blow. The district 7 boy was killed by the boy from 8. The victory cannon were fired minutes after she skewered the district 8 boy through the leg; he bled to death pretty fast as he was only a small 12 years old.

Her willingness to kill innocent children irritates me, a buzzing fly unable to escape through the window. Maybe I envy her? Of course am jealous of her she gets to live! But she will be my life from now until I die in the arena, I can deal with her till then. Eustacia shovels us onto the train, embedded her murderous fists into several paparazzo's faces. Leaving their faces laced with fresh scars.


	7. Chapter 7 the Train Journey

**C7 the train journey**

As soon as we're on the train it starts for the Capitol; where I will spend my last few days.

"180 miles an hour and you can't feel a thing." Chirps Odessa, she disappears through a sliding door and I intently listen as her footsteps strut away down the corridors.

"Here let me." Occasus opens the palm of my hand and retrieves my mother's necklace and fastens it around my neck.

"Thank you." I reply he walks out the same way as Odessa.

The carriage is full of plush violet furniture the colour of Odessa's hair. A long mahogany table is covered in rich delicacies. Blueberry cream pie, vanilla apple tart, rhubarb on fresh wild rice; I've never seen so much food! Most of the other Districts assume that because I'm from District 2 I am better fed then all of the other Districts. However the Capitol don't tell them that the career tributes are kept on strict diets that exclude any kind of unnatural sugars or salts. Or creams or batters. Or cakes or ice creams. I select a blueberry cream pie; it's on a small plate that has floral carvings around the edge. My teeth puncture the skin of the blueberry flooding my mouth with its sweetness. The cream is tinted a yellowy colour and has a strange flavour that I can't place.

"Banana, long, yellow...only in the capitol though." States Eustacia. She fills her slender glass with a purple liquid from a silver tub using a clear ladle.

"It's good." I reply smiling ever so sweetly. I must make her like me so that I can get some sponsors. I finish off the meringue base and walk out through the door Odessa left via previously taking an elegant bottle of a green liquid that has exotic fruits floating on the surface with me. I'm greeted by Odessa who pushes past me before snapping round and glaring at me. Oh my god what have I done now! She grins and then chuckles. "You can do whatever you please, eat what you want, drink what you want, wear what you want; everything is at your disposal." She smiles then disappears again into the next carriage.

I walk along the metal corridor listening to the faint hum of the train's engine. I find a room that I claim as my own and change out of my reaping clothes and put on blue jeans and a baggy t-shirt that has a wolf printed on the front. I leave my hair in its reaping up-do but take time to scuttle my fingers across Syreni's handwork.

I go back into the carriage with the long mahogany table and find Odessa scampering around shouting things at me that I choose to ignore. Occasus and Eustacia are watching the reapings. I sit down next to them on the white leather sofa. The TV turns on and the Capitol seal is flashed across the screen. This is going to be a tough year. So far everyone is at least 17; well apart from me. The girl from one, Emerald Glisten, wears a skin tight thigh length red dress that has a black panel of floral lace across her stomach and down her cleavage. The District 4 tributes look pretty tough this year as they're both tall, stocky 18 year olds. The boy from 9 looks surprisingly good he's 18 and easily 6"4.

"Get him in with you; he will be valuable and then 1 and 4 as usual." Mumbles Eustacia. But then there's a 12 year old from District 10 she has brown soft shoulder length curls and is tiny compared to the monstrous boy tribute.

"Why would they vote in a 12 year old?" I feel disgusted. Horrified. Why would you vote in someone who is only a child to fight against 23 other tributes!

"Perhaps she has some connection to the rebellion; like you." Occasus suggests.

"Yeah; that would make sense, probably rigged it y'anno so she would definitely go in." Adds Eustacia. The Capitol seal reappears then the screen goes black.

"So; what can you guys do then?" asks Eustacia.

"Swords, Maces. But spears are my choice weapon." Says Occasus confidently. "And I'm good at boxing to."

"Good, good that will definitely be handy once you're in there; what about you vo-n-e-"stammers Eustacia. She sits up from the sofa and refills her glass with the purple liquid.

"It's Veneno and umm I can shoot and I'm pretty fast; and a good climber and I can kinda throw a knife a bit." I reply shyly. She's so good with knives she'll just laugh in my face.

"Go on then." Demands Eustacia. She hands me a 6 inch knife from the black knife block and gestures for me to throw it. I go to put it back but she grabs another one and throws it across the room. The knife blade whistles through the air and penetrates the centre of the grandfather clock on the other side of the carriage. There's so much in this carriage I could hit but what? _Tick tock. Tick tock_. The pendulum! A moving target is sure to impress her. I twirl the knife around my fingers as Odessa was twirling her pen earlier. I hurl it across the room and it embeds into the golden pendulum of the clock fixing it to the dark oak frame. I stand back and smile cockily. Admiring my perfect hit.

"I think I can work with that." Says Eustacia approvingly.


End file.
